Looking forward to Govan Music Festival

This year’s programme for Govan Music Festival has been unveiled, with a focus on the story of Govan’s shipbuilding heritage and celebrations of Glasgow’s modern-day multiculturalism.

Organised by Govan’s regeneration orchestra The Glasgow Barons, the festival returns for its fifth year from Sunday 22 - Saturday 28 March, taking over venues in the southwest of the city including Glasgow’s Grand Old Opry, Edmiston House, and Govan and Linthouse Parish Church.

2026 will see a new mini musical, The Great Govan Sea Voyage, devised and performed by pupils from Riverside Primary School for the first time. Co-created with theatre director John Binnie and composer Karen MacIver, the performance is the culmination of years of work by the Glasgow Barons to help Govan schools rebuild their choirs.

Influential

School children have been working with the creative team since September to tell the story of shipbuilding in Govan, and the people who left for a new life abroad, through song.

• Glasgow Barons Orchestra. Image supplied by Govan Music Festival

The festival will also present its first ever Bhangra event, headlined by one of the UK's longest running and most influential Bhangra bands, DCS.

In a celebration of Govan and Glasgow’s rich diversity, the night will also welcome support from Rootless, a new Roma-Indian band whose performance explores their shared musical heritage and roots, and Edinburgh Indian dance troupe Cosmic Dance.

A classical concert from the Glasgow Barons Orchestra, The Auld Alliance, will pay tribute to both Scottish and French culture, with a new commission by Scottish composer Richard Greer, alongside music by Ibert, Damase and MacMillan. Soloists will include Portuguese harpist Teresa Romão and Irish flautist Catriona Ryan.

Audiences are invited to sling on their dancing shoes for a World of Ceilidh night at Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry, which will see award-winning Musicians in Exile group team up with Ceithir Ceilidh Band, comprising University of Glasgow alumni, alongside current students, for an evening of foot-stomping tunes.

Huge changes are afoot across Govan and it’s important to focus on building a healthy, creative community that reflects who we actually are in ways that sustain our identities and welcome others to our area.

Paul MacAlindin

Elsewhere across the programme, recovery community event Freed Up Friday returns with local singer-songwriters including Hunter and McMustard and Hawaii Fivo, and the Four Barons String Quartet will perform Schubert’s Death and the Maiden at Govan and Linthouse Parish Church.

The quartet will also play at schools during the festival, having helped more than 700 Govan pupils learn violin, viola and cello through Glasgow City Council’s Baby Strings programme. Finally, the festival’s Govan Schools Concert will bring together singing talent from all seven of Govan’s schools for a family-friendly showcase.

Paul MacAlindin, Artistic Director of The Glasgow Barons and Govan Music Festival, said: “This fifth edition of the festival is about building Govan’s and Glasgow’s passion and joy for music and creativity. Huge changes are afoot across Govan and it’s important to focus on building a healthy, creative community that reflects who we actually are in ways that sustain our identities and welcome others to our area.

“There’s so much on this year’s programme that excites me, in particular the Great Govan Sea Voyage. A huge amount of faith, vision and energy has gone into creating a brand new musical from scratch and taking students on this adventure. The pupils have never before invested so much in acting, dancing, singing and creating, and that sums up the inclusion, inspiration and regenerative spirit that this festival stands for.

“Govan is open to the world and as a community we love celebrating our connections with each other. There’s so much joy, beauty and passion to be found at this year’s festival – it’s sure to put a spring back in your step.”

Govan Music Festival is supported by Creative Scotland, with the majority of concerts priced between £1 and £5.

The 2026 edition takes place from Sunday 22 - Saturday 28 March. Tickets for this year’s festival are on sale now at https://www.glasgowbarons.com/govan-music-festival-2026